Evil triumphs when good men stand aside and do nothing – Edmund Burke.

We have taken the liberty to reproduce a post from online Sikh discussion groups regarding the Dasam Granth issue, and the troubling silence of some groups representing the interests of British Sikhs.

Guru Manyo Granth

No one is disputing that some compositions thought to be those of Guru Gobind Singh were placed into the Dasam Granth (DG). These have been identified by Sikh scholars and are incorporated in our Nit Nem and in the Sikh Reyat Mayada, which could possibly do with some revision.

Reopening discussion on these, at this particular time however, is an unnecessary diversion. THE MORE SERIOUS QUESTION NOW FACING THE PANTH IS, SHOULD WE ALLOW THE REST OF THE DASAM GRANTH, WHICH IS WHOLLY CONTRARY TO SIKH TEACHINGS, BE CONSIDERED AUTHENTIC SIKH SCRIPTURES?

Common sense will say that the very idea is outrageous. Sikhs believe in one God who is beyond birth, while a third of the DG is devoted to the exploits of various incarnations of Hindu deities. The Sikh Gurus taught the dignity and equality of women. Guru Gobind Singh gave women the name or title Kaur, literally ‘princess’ to emphasise their elevated status. Against this, the DG has a voluminous section denigrating women.

Despite the above, there are still many who find it difficult to accept the blindingly obvious, and want scholarly evidence. It doesn’t take a learned scholar or so-called Think Tanks, to open the Dasam Granth, and simply look at the contents. I reproduce below some of the more printable lines of Chritar 202 on the ‘Wiles of Women.’ The Tale of Chapal Kala.

‘Chapal Kala was the name of a Raja’s daughter

Her beauty made her look like the goddess of love

One day she came across Ainti Singh, the handsome one

And blissfully made love to him.

Chaupaee

The person who can satisfy a woman and takes a long time in love making,

He gets happiness and provides exhilaration in women.

Otherwise, however strong he may be, the woman is not satisfied.

He who takes excessive time in love making, wins the heart of women’

The above is a small part of 404 lengthy compositions, many in more starkly pornographic language, on the supposed wiles of women found in the DG. What CAN BE MORE INSULTING TO SIKHS THAN HAVING SUCH WRITINGS READ ALONGSIDE THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB in our gurdwaras? This is actually happening in gurdwaras in Smethwick and Tiverton in the UK, as well as in Patna Sahib and gurdwaras in Punjab-with the blessings of the RSS beholden SGPC. Sikhs should ask why has the Indian government spent hundreds of crores of rupees printing copies of the DG other than to dilute and distort Sikh teachings? What does it take to wake our sleeping Sikh community?

Scholars such as S. Gurmukh Singh who suggests that this is a matter for the Panth to sort out, do the community a disservice. What is the Panth, other than a collective noun to describe committed Sikhs who follow the Gurus’ path? ALL members of the Panth should stand up and be counted in a collective effort to stop this insidious attack on our religion. Those in a position of influence or authority have a particular responsibility.

S Gurmukh Singh is an adviser to the Sikh Federation, the Sikh Council and the Sikh Missionary Society. It is not enough to play the detached observer. He and others with scholarship and authority should tell organisations with which they have influence, to end their support for this deliberate debasing of the Gurus’ teachings. If their advice on such a critical issue is not heeded, they should publicly dissociate themselves from those, who for their own motives, pursue such anti-Sikh policies.

S Harjinder Singh, another detached observer and adviser to the Sikh Federation, rightly says he is unhappy with what his brothers in the Sikh Federation are doing. When someone is setting fire to your house, you should do more than say you are unhappy with what they are doing. It is increasingly becoming evident that the Sikh Federation is the active wing of the Sikh Council and the rest of the organisation is either indifferent, or too cowed to condemn the stance of its more aggressive partner.

Sometimes I feel that the Network of Sikh Organisations (NSO) is acting alone in the UK highlighting Sikh concerns on this issue, although some smaller organisations like the British Sikh Federation and the Akhand Kirtani Jatha and many individual Sikhs have indicated their support for our stance.

We appeal to other Sikh organisations in the UK and abroad to publicly declare where they stand on one of the most important issues facing Sikhs for many years.